Safety device for emergency exits

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a safety device for emergency exits in vertical or oblique surfaces of buildings. The safety device essentially consists of a safety bracket (4) which, extends over the emergency exit in such a way that in the inoperative position its transverse rod (10) and the shanks (9) respectively lie beneath and beside the emergency exit. The safety bracket (4) is pivoted on the building. In an emergency, the safety bracket (4) is raised and stably supported in the safety position by two supports (12). Between the safety bracket (4) and the building there is a safety net (17) surrounding the emergency platform (5). People involved in an emergency can, in an initial stage, place themselves on the emergency platform (5) in the open air, in a safe position, from which they can escape or be rescued.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a safety device for emergency exits in verticalor oblique surfaces of buildings.

Emergency exits in the outer facade of buildings are usually requiredonly if there are no escape routes within the building, in complyingwith safety regulations. This is frequently the case when buildings arerenovated or expanded subsequently and it is not possible to adhere tothe safety regulations in the interior of the building. For example, itmay be intended to build useable rooms in existing attics, althoughthere is only a narrow access to the rooms within the building. If thesafety regulations require a second escape route in such cases, the onlypossibility available is to use the windows as an emergency exit. Insuch cases, it is generally necessary to mount unattractive and visuallyor functionally annoying emergency exits and stairways with expensivebanisters on the outer facade of the building. Such solutions arejustifiable if the respective outer facade of the buildings faces, forexample, rear yards or other shielded sides. It is the general opinionthat such permanently installed emergency exits are not justifiable inpublic places in towns or cities. In particular, such emergency exitsare prohibited on buildings of historical value by organizationresponsible for protecting historical monuments. Consequently, theintended roof expansions cannot be realized or unjustifiableexpenditures arise in connection with providing within the building asecond escape route.

Different emergency exits are already known for vertical surfaces ofbuildings. They are mounted below windows in the wall, lying against itin an inoperative position. In an emergency, the respective balcony-likeemergency exit is swiveled into a horizontal position utilizing gravity.In this position, it is held from above by means of chains or the like.

In the DR 11035, a platform is described which can be let down androtated and is mounted in the facade of a building in front of a window.On either side of the window frame, the platform has framework rods, thelower ends of which are mounted in the facade so that they can rotate.At their upper ends, the framework rods are connected with a crossbar.In an emergency, the platform can be brought into the horizontalposition and held in this position from above by a chain. Iron slats,nets or the like between the framework rods serve as a surface on whichthe persons to be rescued can stand.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,585 describes a balcony-like exit from a window,which consists of sturdy bottom and railing parts. In the inoperativeposition, the emergency exit is folded together and, with a bottom partwhich is mounted rotatably at the building, folded upward against thevertical surface of the building. In an emergency, the emergency exit,utilizing the force of gravity, is swiveled downward into a horizontalposition and unfolded.

It is a disadvantage of all known solutions that they can be mountedonly on vertical surfaces of a building. The known emergency exitscannot be used in front of windows in oblique roof surfaces. A furtherdisadvantage consists therein that these solutions use essentially theforce of gravity, to move the emergency exit into the use position. Theforces, which arise when the emergency exit is lowered, and the loadsresulting from the persons to be rescued must be absorbed by holdingelements fastened to a top of the building. This is associated withconsiderable uncertainties, since the holding elements themselves tearor can be pulled out of their anchorages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety device foremergency exits, which lies essentially invisibly against the verticalor oblique outer surfaces of the building in the inoperative positionand can be moved into an operation position in front of the emergencyexit by means of simple manipulations.

Pursuant to the present invention, a safety device for an emergency exitwhich comprises a safety bracket, which is fastened pivotably to abuilding and, in an inoperative position, that is, when the emergencyexit is not being used, lies below the emergency exit as close aspossible to an outer surface of the building. In the case of danger,when the emergency exit is to be used, the safety bracket, which iseasily accessible from the emergency exit, is raised and brought into anoperative position. At the same time, the supports, pivotably mounted atthe safety bracket, freely slide downward in a longitudinal direction ofguide rails an pass a line perpendicular to the guide rails whilepivoting in drag bearings of the supports and are supported at the lowerend of the guide rails at a stop. In this position, the safety bracket,together with the supports in the guide rails, forms a solid, sturdyframe for a safety device outside of the respective building.

In another embodiment of the invention supports are mounted pivotably ona building and other ends of the supports are guided freely movably in alongitudinal direction of shanks of a safety bracket in such a mannerthat, in an inoperative position, the supports lie parallel to the endsof the shanks of the safety bracket. When the safety bracket is raisedby the operator into an operative position, the supports, in a mannersimilar to that of claim 1, slide due to their weight or by forced meansin the shanks as far as stops in the region in the comers of the safetybracket. In this position also, a sturdy safety device around theemergency exit is created. As a means essential to the invention, bothvariations of the solution have a safety net, which extends, at least,between the whole of the cross member of the safety bracket and thebuilding. Whereas the safety bracket alone does not offer adequatesafety, since persons, who use the emergency exit, can slide underneaththe safety bracket, the safety net closes off the whole region of theemergency exit with great effectiveness. When the safety device is notin use, the safety net, folded together, preferably is in an appropriatereceptacle at the surface of the building below the emergency exit.

Depending on the actual construction of the building, it is necessarythat there is an adequate surface, on which the persons, who use theemergency exit, can stand within the safety bracket in the safetyposition. Such a surface can be one within the building itself. However,a separate surface may also be created which is disposed rigidly orpivotably on the building in such a manner that it lies against thebuilding when the safety bracket is in the inoperative position and ispivoted away from the building into a horizontal operative position whenthe safety bracket is in the safety position.

When the inventive safety devices are used, the persons, who are in anemergency situation, can proceed with a high degree of safety to theemergency platform outside of the building and stay there. With that, itis ensured in a first step that the persons can be supplied with freshair in a safe position. In the second step, the persons are fetched byhelpers from the emergency exit or they can make their own way fromthere to the ground using known means, such as a rope ladder.

The invention has an important advantage in that the respective personson the emergency exit are in a secure position from which they cannotfall. Compared to emergency rescues through windows or balconybalustrades, a significant increase in safety is achieved and the rescueis speeded up significantly.

The actual construction of the safety net depends, in particular, on thelocal conditions at the actual building. In every case, the possibilitymust exist that the persons below the fixed safety bracket pass throughthe region of the safety net. This can be, for example, a side, which isalways free, or easily detachable connections can be present within thesafety net and opened particularly by helpers, so that the persons canbe freed through an opening in the safety net.

The invention can be improved further with additional distinguishingfeatures. For example, it may be advantageous to equip the safetybrackets with additional opening aids, so that raising in the case ofdanger is easily possible. In particular, such aids may becounterweights, mechanical springs or gas springs. Moreover, it ispossible to equip the opening means of the emergency exit with forcedmechanisms or with automatic means, so that, in every case when theemergency exit is opened, the safety device is moved automatically intothe safety position.

Particularly on buildings, on which such safety devices are to beinvisible, as far as possible, the safety device in the inoperativeposition can be disposed countersunk totally or partially in the surfaceof the building or it can be covered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be described in greater detail withreference to the figures wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a safety device in the inoperative position at a dormer;

FIG. 2 shows a safety device in an operative safety position at anopened tilting roof window;

FIG. 3 shows a safety device in the operative safety position on avertical wall of a house.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In FIG. 1, a safety device is shown in an inoperative position at adormer 1. The building is protected, for example, as a historicalmonument and the artistically valuable dormer 1 on the roof 2, thedetails of which are not shown here, is intended to be used as anemergency exit 3. At a height of about 20 to 40 meters, there is asafety device 4 for the safety of persons, who use the emergency exit.Due to its considerable distance from the ground, the safety device isessentially invisible in its inoperative position. Of the safety deviceas shown in FIG. 1, only the safety bracket 4 and the emergency platform5 can be identified. Further aspects are described in greater detail inthe following examples. FIG. 1 shows graphically that the inventivesafety device can hardly be noticed visually when it is in itsinoperative position.

In FIG. 2, a tilting window 6, which is to be as an emergency exit, isshown in an oblique roof 2. For this purpose, there is an emergencyplatform 5 outside of the dormer 6. An inventive safety device ispresent for the protection of persons, who use the emergency platform 5.On either side of the tilting window 6, there is a guide rail 7, whichis mounted firmly on the roof 2. At the upper end of the guide rail 7,there is a journal bearing 8, on which a shank 9 of the safety bracket 4is mounted. With its two shanks 9, the safety bracket 4 encloses thewhole width of the tilting roof window 6. In front of the tilting roofwindow 6 and the emergency platform 5, the safety bracket 4 is closedoff by a transverse rod 10. A support 12 is pivotably disposed on eachof the shanks 9 on both sides of the safety bracket 4 at the corners.The other end of each support 12 has a drive mechanism 13 in the form ofa shiftable bearing or a sliding pad which is free to move in thelongitudinal axis within the guide rail 7. In the inoperative position,the drive mechanism 13 of the supports 12 are parallel to the ends ofthe shanks 9. When the safety bracket 4 is raised at the handle 14, thedrive mechanisms 13 freely roll downward within the guide rail 7 up to astop 15. This stop 15 is below the line 16, which is perpendicular tothe guide rail 7 at the drag bearing 11. In this position, the safetybracket 4 is supported stably on the supports 12 and forms a secureframe around the whole of the emergency exit. In addition, it may beadvantageous if the guide rails 7 are spread out slightly towards thebottom. With this arrangement the supports 12 are also placed slightlyobliquely towards the outside and the stability of the safety device isincreased further. Between the safety bracket 4, consisting of the twoshanks 9 as well as the transverse rod 10, and the surface of the roof2, a safety net 17 is disposed which surrounds the emergency platform 5.In the inoperative position, the safety net 17 is folded together in anappropriate trough-like container; the details of which are not shown inthe drawing. It has proven to be advantageous if the safety net isconstructed from steel chains, which are connected crosswise.

Several net crosses of the safety net are connected together with aneasily detachable connecting bolt approximately in the center of thetransverse rod 10. Moreover, springs, the details of which are not shownin the drawing and which equalize the weight of the safety device and,with that, facilitate raising the safety bracket 4 in an emergency, aredisposed in the region of the drag bearing 8.

In the inoperative position of the safety device, the shanks of thesafety brackets 4 are parallel to the guide rails 7, close to thesurface of the roof 2, and are not an annoyance visually in any way. Inan emergency, when persons are in danger, the tilting roof window 6 isopened and the safety bracket 4 is pulled up. At the same time, thebasket-like safety device is installed immediately in front of theemergency exit. With this, the endangered persons in a first step are ina position to leave the inner room of the building for the outside. In asecond step, the safe rescue of the persons from the safety device bythe emergency workers, particularly the firemen, becomes possible. Inthe meantime, there is no danger that the persons on the emergencyplatform 5 on the oblique roof 2 will fall off. For the subsequentrescues, it is not necessary to overcome any windows, parapets or thelike and it is possible to step on the emergency platform safely. Torescue the persons, the connecting bolt in the front part of the safetynet 17 is opened by the emergency workers and the persons, who are in anemergency situation, can leave the emergency platform safelycorresponding to the circumstances.

In FIG. 3, an inventive safety device at a vertical wall of a house isshown. Such safety devices can be installed subsequently in oldermultistory buildings, so that the latter will comply with newer safetyregulations.

In the example, the safety device is mounted in front of a window 19 ata wall 20 of a house. In case of an emergency, the window 19 is intendedto function simultaneously as an emergency exit. The safety device has asafety bracket 21, two shanks 22 of which are pivotably mounted in twojournal bearings 23 at wall 20 of the house. Supports 25, each of whichis pivotably mounted in a journal bearing 24, are in the vertical planeof the shanks 22 of the safety bracket 21 below the window 19. The upperends of the supports 25, opposite the journal bearings 24, are equippedwith a sliding pad 26 which can be shifted freely in the longitudinaldirection within the shank 22. There are suitable stops for the slidingpads in the corner regions of the safety bracket. Between the crossbar27 of the safety bracket 21 and a front edge of an emergency platform28, there is a safety net 29. The emergency platform 28 is pivotablymounted an journal bearings 30 at the wall 20 of the house and securedover two lateral holding chains 31.

In the inoperative position, all parts of the safety device, theemergency platform 28, the supports 25 and the safety bracket 21including the safety net 29, are placed against the wall of the house.In this connection, the safety bracket 21 is constructed so that it doesnot cover the window 19, that is, so that the view from the window isnot affected. The safety device can also be disposed countersunk withinthe brickwork of the wall 20 of the house in such a way, that the safetydevice in the inoperative position is largely invisible.

In an emergency, the window 19 is opened and the crossbar 27 of thesafety bracket 21, which is easily accessible and lies below the windowopening, is pushed forward and upward. At the same time, the supports 25pivot on journal bearings in the shanks 22 and slide down towards theoutside up to a stop below the line 32 which is perpendicular to thelegs 22 at the drag bearing 24 and support the safety bracket 21. At thesame time, the emergency platform 28 falls towards the outside until theholding chains 31 are taut. With the lifting of the safety bracket 21,the safety net 29 is also unfolded and the emergency platform 28 can bestepped on immediately after the safety device is swung out. The personsin danger can be rescued as described in the preceding example.

I claim:
 1. A safety device for an emergency exit window on a surface ofa building which is extendable from a substantially flat inoperativeposition to an extended operative position, the safety devicecomprising:a safety bracket having shanks with first ends connected by across member and second ends having means for pivotally attaching tosaid surface of said building such that when said safety bracket is inthe inoperative position the shanks are parallel to the surface of thebuilding on either side of the window and said cross member is belowsaid window and such that when said safety bracket is pivoted to theoperative position said shanks extend approximately horizontally infront of the window and said cross member is positioned in front of saidwindow; a support member having a first end pivotably disposed on atleast one of said shanks of the safety bracket; a guide rail anchorableon the building essentially parallel to the inoperative position of saidat least one of the shanks and having a slidable bearing means forslidably and pivotally supporting a second end of said support membersuch that said guide rail, said at least one of said shanks and saidsupport member lie parallel when said safety device is in saidinoperative position; said slidable bearing means being free to slidealong a longitudinal axis of the guide rail when said safety bracket isextended from said inoperative position to said operative position, andsaid guide rail having a stop mounted at a lower end of the guide railat a position for stopping said slidable bearing means such that saidsupport member pivots through a angle greater than 90° relative to saidat least one of said shanks when said safety device is extended fromsaid inoperative position to said operative position to stably supportsaid safety bracket; and a safety net connected to the cross member ofthe safety bracket and attachable to the surface of the building toenclose an area for accepting persons when said safety device is in saidoperative position.
 2. The safety device of claim 1, wherein the meansfor pivotally attaching said second ends of the shanks of the safetybracket to said surface of the building include means for pivotallyattaching said second ends to upper ends of the guide rails.
 3. A safetydevice for an emergency exit on a surface of a building which isextendable from a substantially flat inoperative position to an extendedoperative position, the safety device comprising:a safety bracket havingshanks with first ends connected by a cross member and second endshaving means for pivotally attaching to said surface of said buildingsuch that when said safety bracket is in the inoperative position theshanks lie parallel to the surface of the building on either side nextto the window and said cross member is below said window and such thatwhen said safety bracket is pivoted to the operative position saidshanks extend approximately horizontally in front of the window and saidcross member is positioned in front of said window, a support memberhaving a first end pivotally connected to slidable bearing means free toshift along a longitudinal axis of one of said shanks and a second endpivotably mountable on the surface of the building such that the supportmember is essentially parallel to said one of said shanks of the safetybracket when said safety device is in the inoperative position, and saidone of said shanks having a stop at a position for stopping saidsliclable bearing such that said support member pivots through a anglegreater than 90° relative to said at least one of said shanks when saidsafety device is extended from said inoperative position to saidoperative position to stably support said safety bracket; and a safetynet connected to the cross member of the safety bracket and attachableto the surface of the building to enclose an area for accepting personswhen said safety device is in said operative position.
 4. The safetydevice of claims 1 or 3, further comprising an emergency platformdisposable within a pivoting range of the safety bracket for a person tostep onto when exiting from the emergency exit.
 5. The safety device ofclaim 4, wherein the emergency platform is permanently disposed on thebuilding.
 6. The safety device of claim 4 wherein the emergency platformis pivotably disposed on the building such that the emergency platformlies against the surface of the building when said safety bracket is inthe inoperative position and is pivoted away from the surface of thebuilding into a horizontal use position when the safety bracket is inthe operative position.
 7. The safety device of claims 1 or 3, whereinsaid slidable bearing means is in the form of a sliding pad.
 8. Thesafety device of claims 1 or 3, wherein the safety bracket has at leastone handle for raising the safety bracket.
 9. The safety device ofclaims 1 or 3, wherein the safety net is formed of chain links.
 10. Thesafety device of claims 1 and 2, wherein the safety net is detachablydisposed so that persons through an area covered by the safety net. 11.A safety device for an emergency exit window on a surface of a buildingwhich is extendable from a substantially flat inoperative position to anextended operative position, the safety device comprising:a safetybracket having side members with first ends connected by a cross memberand second ends having means for pivotally attaching to said surface ofsaid building such that when said safety bracket is in the inoperativeposition the safety bracket lies adjacent the surface of the buildingwith the side members parallel to the surface of the building on eitherside of the window and said cross member below said window and such thatwhen said safety bracket is pivoted to the operative position said sidemembers extend approximately horizontally and said cross member ispositioned in front of said window; said side members each having asupport member having a first end pivotably disposed on said sidemembers of the safety bracket and a second end pivotally connectable tothe surface of said building; guide rails anchorable on the buildingessentially parallel to the inoperative position of said side membersand having a slidable bearing means for slidably and pivotallysupporting said second ends of said support members such that said guiderail, said side members and said support members lie parallel when saidsafety device is in said inoperative position; said slidable bearingmeans being free to slide along a longitudinal axis of the guide railswhen said safety bracket is extended from said inoperative position tosaid operative position, and said guide rails having a stop mounted atlower ends of the guide rails at a position for stopping said slidablebearing means such that said support members pivot through a anglegreater than 90° relative to respective ones of said side members whensaid safety device is extended from said inoperative position to saidoperative position to stably support said safety bracket; and a safetynet connected to the cross member of the safety bracket and attachableto the surface of the building to enclose an area for accepting personswhen said safety device is in said operative position.
 12. A safetydevice for an emergency exit window on a surface of a building which isextendable from a substantially flat inoperative position to an extendedoperative position, the safety device comprising:a safety bracket havingside members with first ends connected by a cross member and second endshaving means for pivotally attaching to said surface of said buildingsuch that when said safety bracket is in the inoperative position thesafety bracket lies adjacent the surface of the building with the sidemembers parallel to the surface of the building on either side of thewindow and said cross member below said window and such that when saidsafety bracket is pivoted to the operative position said side membersextend approximately horizontally and said cross member is positioned infront of said window; said side members each having a support member;said support members having a first end pivotably disposed on said sidemembers of the safety bracket and a second end pivotably connectable tothe surface of said building; slidable bearing means for supporting oneof said first and second ends of said support members such that saidside members and said support members lie parallel when said safetydevice is in said inoperative position and when said safety bracket isextended from said inoperative position to said operative position saidsupport members pivot through a angle greater than 90° relative torespective ones of said side members to stably support said safetybracket; and a safety net connected to the cross member of the safetybracket and attachable to the surface of the building to enclose an areafor accepting persons when said safety device is in said operativeposition.